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Road and transport sector has been brought under the digital security system for ensuring smooth highway connectivity and online payment system.
The executive committee of the Digital Security Agency (DSA) in a meeting on April 25 approved the inclusion of the Road Transport and Highways Division (RTHD) into Critical Information Infrastructure (CII).
State Minister for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Division Zunaid Ahmed Palak presided over the meeting.
Withthe inclusion, officials said, all agencies under the RTHD would come under the surveillance of the DSA, which will guide them on how to overcomethe cyber risks.
"With this, the longstanding demand of the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges was met, and BRTA, BRTC and RHD like agencies would, under the DSA, protect highways and transport system from various cyber risk factors," said an official.
He also said the risks in handling online activities by RHTD would be reduced as it would run those through the prescription of the DSA, which sits every three months to review all its agencies, departments and divisions.
The DSA has been working to ensure cyber security in the country by overseeing so far 27 agencies.
Now, after inclusion of RHTD, toll plaza and data centres of BRTA and RHD and online banking system would be supervised by the DSA.
The Digital Security Council headed by the prime minister reviews the activities of all its agencies every three months and recommends taking urgent or necessary steps and measures related to cyber security issues.
Fahmida Hoque Khan, deputy secretary of RHTD, said as the road network in the country and its related data had been increasing, cyber security was now necessary for the division in order to ensure uninterrupted road network and revenue earnings from the sector.
She, however, said the state-owned companies, like Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation and Dhaka Mass Transit Company and Dhaka BRT (Bus Rapid Transit), would be out of the purview of the CIIs, as those were yet to go to online payment system and activities.
"Highways remain open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Therefore, it is necessary to bring the road transport network under the digital surveillance system so that connectivity remains uninterrupted and revenue earnings are not suffered," she told the FE, while asking about the benefits of CIIs.
She also said the DSA's guidelines and audit report on the RTHD would also help it review its activities for removing risk factors aiming at ensuring smooth connectivity and services.